In Satyug, Kamaali's soul was Deepika, the wife of Vidyadhar Pandit. Then in Tretayug, it was Surya, the wife of Sage Vedvigya (who was the soul of Vidyadhar only). In Satyayug and Tretayug, these only had received Supreme God Kabir in the form of a child. Thereafter, that soul acquired other life forms and in Kaliyug, it took birth in Muslim religion as a girl named Rabi. In the next birth, it led life of a prostitute. Subsequently, it was born as a girl named Bansuri. Then it was born as Shekhtaqi’s daughter named Kamaali. Verses, as evidence for Rabia, from Granth Sahib composed by Sant Garibdas Saheb,
Garib, Sultaani Makke gaye, Makka nahin mukaam |
gaya raand ke len koon, kahae Adham Sultaan ||56||
Garib, Raabiya parsi rabb syoun, Makke kee asvaar |
teen manjil Makka gaya, bibi ke deedaar ||57||
Garib, phir Raabiya Bansari bani, Makke chadhaaya sheesh |
Poorabley sanskaar kuchh, dhanya Satguru Jagdish ||58||
Garib, Bansari se veshya bani, shabd sunaaya raag |
bahur Kamaali putri, yug yug tyaag bairaag ||59||
Garib Raabi kun Satguru miley, deena apna tej |
byaahi ek Sahaab se, bibi chadhi na sej ||363||
Garib, Raabi Makke koon chali, dharya Alah kaa dhyaan |
kutti ek pyaasi khadi, chhutey jaat hain praan ||364||
Garib, kesh upaarey sheesh ke, baati rassi been |
jaakae vastr baandh kar, jal kaadya praveen ||365||
Garib, sunaheen koon paani peeya, utri arsh avaaj |
teen manjil Makka gaya, bibi tumhre kaaj ||366||
Garib, bibi Makke par chadhi, Raabi rang apaar |
ek laakh assi jahaan, dekhe sab sansaar ||367||
Garib, Raabi patra ghaali kar, kiya jahaan asnaan |
ek laakh assi bahey, magar malya Sultaan ||368||
{The following story has been briefly described in the above verses.}
A girl named Rabi was born in the Muslim religion. Supreme God Kabir met her when she was 16 years old. She had great love for God. She used to diligently perform all traditional religious practices according to the religion e.g., observing (Roza) fast, offering (Namaz) prayer, and celebrating Eid.
At that time, Lord Kabir told her, “Daughter! This religious practice is not for attaining God. He narrated the entire creation of nature and told her the path of true worship. That girl Rabia took the initiation. Then after performing true worship for four years, due to the pressure of society and fear of societal disapproval, she quit the right path and resumed the same traditional religious practices. The girl was so devoted to God that she refused to marry. Her parents started crying that how would we keep our young daughter at home? Seeing the parents deeply worried, Rabia agreed to the marriage. That girl Rabia got married to a high-ranking (sahib) officer. But she clearly told her husband, “I will not procreate. I have married because of excessive pressure from my parents and to honour societal conventions. If you do not agree with me, I will commit suicide. Consider this my final decision. I only want self-welfare by worshipping God.”
Rabia's husband thought, “Why should I distress this devotee and incur sin? After contemplating, he said, “Rabia! Just as you were afraid of society likewise, I also have a society of my own. You will have to live like my wife in the eyes of society. In my eyes, you will be my sister. I will not let you go out of the house. You may worship. If you say, I will appoint two maids for you.” Rabia was very pleased and said, “O Lord! Thank you for listening to me.” From that day onwards, Rabia continued to perform religious practices prevalent in the Muslim religion.
She was born in the Muslim religion. She used to celebrate Eid, Bakrid, and observe fasts with reverence. When she was above fifty years of age, she said to her husband, “It is said that it is essential to go to Mecca. I do not know when I might breathe my last. I want to perform Hajj once.” Her husband said, “You can go. If you say, I will get a camel arranged for you.” Rabia said, “I will go on foot. Many other travellers are also going.” Her husband said, “You may go.”
Rabia left for Hajj in Mecca. On the way, she saw a bitch who was very thirsty. The bitch was sometimes running towards Rabia's feet, and sometimes going towards the well. Rabia understood that the bitch was extremely thirsty. Along with her were her puppies. Rabia thought, “If she does not get water, she will die and so will her puppies.” There is a lot of compassion in a devotee. Rabia went to the well. She saw that there was neither a bucket nor a rope. She could not even see any village nearby.
Without any delay, Rabia plucked the hair from her head and made a long rope out of it. She took off her clothes (because people used to wear thick khadi clothes in those days), tied them with the rope, soaked them in water in the well, and taking them out, wrung them in the broken half of a pitcher which was kept there and filled it.
The bitch gulped down the water. Rabia's whole body was bleeding. Wiping the whole body with her clothes, she washed those clothes and wore them. As soon as she got ready to set forth, that Mecca, the entire house (Holy Mosque), ascended from its place and reached there near that well for Rabia. An ethervoice occurred, “O Devotee, that Mecca has come flying for you from three manzil i.e., 60 miles. You may enter it.” Rabia entered it. Mecca ascended from there. Flying like an airplane, it returned to its original place. Seeing this divine spectacle, there was a special discussion in society that one’s devotion should be like that of Rabia. Rabia’s (just like Meera Bai) name earned respect in the Muslim world. Everyone started giving special respect to her.
After some time, Rabia passed away. Her second birth was of a girl named Bansuri in the Muslim religion, because a living being continues to be born where it is destined. She was a very good girl with a religious temperament and used to sing beautiful praises of Lord. She kept worshipping according to Muslim religion throughout her life. She had also heard in folklores that if one dies in Mecca, then the door of Heaven opens for that person, that is, that living being goes straight to heaven.
On getting old, she went to Mecca to perform Hajj. She thought, “What would be a better opportunity than this, if I die in Mecca and go to heaven?” The girl severed her head and offered it in Mecca. There was a special discussion in the entire Muslim world that a sacrifice in the name of the Lord should be like this. Bansuri will go to heaven.
(Now here the ignorant people should think that sacrifice should be done of oneself, not of a goat, cow or a chicken in the name of God. The real sacrifice is surrendering oneself at the feet of God and true worship. There is no salvation by beheading oneself and worshipping against the injunctions. This is a maze of Kaal. A sacrifice is not made by severing one’s neck, but by surrendering oneself. Surrender oneself wholeheartedly for the sake of God with this feeling “O God! My body is yours, my wealth is yours, this slave is also yours; God likes this sacrifice. God never likes violence or murder.)
Thereafter, the third birth of the same girl Rabia was in another society. She became a prostitute based on her deeds. Only Supreme God (Satpurush Kabir Sahib) can eliminate the sins of a living being; others cannot. Just as the President of India can even pardon the death penalty, what is there to say about other punishments? No one else can pardon the death penalty. Similarly, Supreme God Kabir, the Almighty, can remove all our sorrows. No other God can end the suffering written in one’s fate.
The soul of Rabia after completing the life of a prostitute died. The fourth human birth of that same Rabia took place in the form of a girl at the house of Shekhtaqi Pir. Shekhtaqi Pir was the religious leader of Sikandar Lodhi in Delhi. She died at the age of twelve. She was buried in the grave. Lord Kabir says that: -
Garib, jo jan meri sharan hai, taaka hoon main daas |
gael gael laagya rahoon, jab lag dharani aakaash ||
Garib jyon bachha gaoo ki najar mein, yon saai ne sant |
bhakton ke peechhey firey, vo bhakt vatsal Bhagwant ||
Supreme God i.e., KavirDev Himself comes in the form of a saint and tells the method of His worship. This girl performed the true worship preached by that God Kabir appeared in the form of a Satguru for four to five years. She had abandoned it after that. As a result of that worship, she got three consecutive human births. She was not destined to have any human birth in future. Now this soul had to suffer greatly in the lives of eighty-four lakh life-forms. God Kabir is merciful. He made a reason; by resurrecting that girl from the grave, taking her in His refuge, named her Kamaali and gave initiation to that lovely daughter and granted her salvation. Similarly, we will have to think that if we put water in the roots, then the plant will flourish. We are worshipping leaves and twigs; this is wrong.
Kabir, Akshar Purush ek ped hai, Niranjan vaaki daar |
Teeno deva shaakha hain, paat roop sansaar ||
The world-like tree is hanging upside down. Its root above is Param Akshar Purush, SatPurush, Purna Brahm (Complete God), and consider the trunk that is visible outside the ground to be Akshar Purush (ParBrahm). Beyond that, the trunk has a thick branch. Consider that branch to be Jyoti Niranjan (Brahm). That branch has three further branches; consider them to be Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Consider their twigs to be gods-goddesses and leaves the world. This is how Lord Kabir narrated the entire creation of nature in a single couplet.
Shekhtaqi thought, “It is proving difficult to subjugate Kabir by any means.” So, Shekhtaqi said to the public, “This Kabir is a magician. He has corrupted the mind of Emperor Sikandar by casting such spells.” He said to all the Muslims, “You should support me, otherwise, the matter will get worse.” The innocent Muslims said, “Pir ji! We are with you. We will do as you say.” Shekhtaqi said, “We will accept this Kabir as God when he revives my daughter who is buried in the grave.”
A prayer was sent to Venerable Lord Kabir. Lord Kabir thought that this naive soul might accept it in this way. {Because all these souls are the children of Lord Kabir. Kaal has put the cover of religion on us. He has made us enemies of each other.} Shekhtaqi's daughter’s body was buried in the grave. Shekhtaqi said, “If he raises my daughter from the dead, we will accept this Kabir as Allah, and I will issue a proclamation by beat of drum everywhere that this Kabir ji is God.” Lord Kabir said, “Alright.” That day was fixed. Lord Kabir said, “Spread the information everywhere, so that no one has any doubt left.” Devotees gathered there in thousands to view the spectacle. Lord Kabir got the body disinterred. The corpse of a twelve- to thirteen-year-old girl was kept in it. Lord Kabir said to Shekhtaqi, “You may try to revive her first.” All the people present there said, “Maharaj ji, if he had any such power, who would let his child die? A person sacrifices one’s body, mind and wealth to save the life of one’s child. O Lord of the poor, Have mercy on us.” Venerable Supreme God Kabir said, “O Shekhtaqi's daughter, come back to life.” He said it three times, but the girl did not rise from the dead. Shekhtaqi started rejoicing. He danced and jumped, and said, “Look, the pretence of this hypocrite has been caught.” Lord Kabir wanted to make him dance to let him rejoice.
Kabir, raaj tajna sahaj hai, sahaj triya ka neh | maan badaai irshya durlabh tajna ye ||
The disease of superiority, pride, envy is terrible. He was not sad that his daughter did not come back to life, but he was celebrating the defeat of Lord Kabir. Lord Kabir said, “Sit down, Mahatma ji. Keep calm.” Lord Kabir ordered, “O Soul! Wherever you are, by Kabir’s order, enter this dead body and come out.” As soon as Lord Kabir said this, a tremor occurred in the dead body and that girl rose from the dead and came out. She prostrated herself at the feet of Lord Kabir. (Say- Glory be to Satguru Dev Ji!)
That girl gave a discourse for an hour and a half by the grace of Lord Kabir and said, “O innocent people, this is God who has come Himself. He is Supreme God (Purna Brahm), the Lord of the infinite universes. Are you considering him an ordinary weaver (Dhaanak)? O Misled People, this is God who has Himself come before you. By falling at His feet, get your chronic illness of birth and death cured and go to Satyalok. Having gone where, a soul escapes the cycle of birth and death.” Kamaali said that no one can set you free from the trap of this Kaal except Bandi Chhor God Kabir. As per Hindu method of worship, whether one goes on pilgrimage, reads Gita, Bhagwat, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Puranas, Upanishads, Vedas, or worships Ram, Krishna, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv, Mother Goddess-Sheranwali (Aadi Maya, Aadi Bhavani, Prakriti Devi) or Jyoti Niranjan, a living being cannot escape the sufferings in the bodies of eighty-four lakh life-forms, and even by the Muslim method of worship, a living being cannot escape from the web of Kaal. For example, (roza) observing fasts, celebrating Eid - Bakrid, offering (Namaz) prayers five times a day, going to Mecca-Medina, (azaan) giving a call to prayer in the mosque etc., are all futile. Kamaali, while addressing all the people present there, narrated the story of her past births, which she had recollected by the grace of Lord Kabir. You have read them earlier.
Lord Kabir said, “Daughter! Go with your father.” The girl said, “You are my real father. He is a fake father. He had buried me in the ground. We have settled our accounts.” All the people present there said, “Lord Kabir has performed a (Kamaal) miracle.” Lord Kabir named the girl Kamaali. He kept her with him as his daughter and gave her initiation-mantra. Thousands of people present there received initiation from Supreme God Kabir. Now Shekhtaqi thought, “Things have gone from bad to worse. All my dominion is gone.”
Now Shekhtaqi noticed that Lord Kabir had gained more fame. He again started plotting to humiliate Lord in some way or the other. Even after seeing all these divine acts, wicked Shekhtaqi's eyes did not open. God was in front of him, but he was not accepting it out of pride.
After a few days, Shekhtaqi again gathered the Muslims and said, “This Kabir is a magician. We will test him one more time.” Thousands of Muslims went to Emperor Sikandar with Shekhtaqi and said, “We will put this Kabir in a cauldron of boiling mustard oil. If he does not die, we will consider him God.” Sikandar Lodhi got worried that they might overthrow his kingdom. He went to Lord Kabir and prayed, “Maharaj Ji, I had brought you here to serve you, but instead I have distressed you, my Benefactor.” Lord Kabir asked, “What is the matter, Emperor?” Sikandar Lodhi said, “Lord, you are all-knowing. Shekhtaqi is saying such things.” Lord Kabir said, “No problem, Emperor. They have decided to finish me off. They will do it tomorrow if not today. It would be great if it happens today.” Lord Kabir said, “Tell them to heat the oil.” Lord Kabir used to think that this ignorant Shekhtaqi might concede in this way. Sikander Lodhi told Shekhtaqi to heat the oil.
Shekhtaqi put thick pieces of firewood and brought the oil cauldron to a full boil, and said, “Lift this Kabir and put him in this.” Lord Kabir said, “Shekh ji! Why are you even taking this much trouble; I will sit on my own.” Revered Lord Kabir entered that cauldron of boiling oil. Only his neck was visible outside. The rest of the body was in that boiling oil. Lord Kabir was sitting comfortably as if he was sitting in cold water. Shekhtaqi said, “He knows incantations. He has cooled this oil. It is just appearing to be boiling.” Sikandar Lodhi thought, “Maybe it has really cooled down.” Sikandar tried to test it by putting his finger in that cauldron of boiling oil. Lord Kabir said, “Emperor, do not put your finger in this lest you destroy your hand due to this stupid person. It is so hot that the finger will not be found.” Sikandar thought, “When Lord Kabir is sitting in the oil, then what will happen to me?” Thinking this, he put a finger in that cauldron of boiling oil despite being warned. To whatever extent the finger had gone into the oil, that much finger got severed and the emperor fainted in pain. Lord Kabir thought, “This ignorant king would die because of this jealous Shekhtaqi.” Lord Kabir came out of the oil cauldron. Sikandar was brought back to consciousness. The pain was so severe that he fainted again. Lord Kabir held his finger and restored it to its original size. Emperor Sikandar became conscious. Sikandar begged for mercy and said, “Please forgive me, Lord! I committed a mistake.” Lord Kabir said, “Emperor! It is not your fault. Kaal does not want my children to recognize me.”
Shekhtaqi saw that he [Lord Kabir] did not even die by this method. He gathered the Muslims again and said, “This time, after putting this Kabir in a well, we will throw mud, bricks and stones from above. Then we will see how he will survive?” The innocent people were ready to do as Pir ji said.
Shekhtaqi said to Sikandar Lodhi, “We will test him [Lord Kabir] one more time.” Sikandar asked, “What test will you take?” Shekhtaqi said, “We will put him in a deep well and then we will see how he survives from there.”
{Now even after seeing so many divine spectacles, the Emperor did not believe in his Master. Otherwise, he could have threatened Shekhtaqi, “Do whatever you have to do. I will not distress my God anymore.” Then he would have seen whether he lost his kingdom or prospered.} The Emperor thought, “I might lose my kingdom.” Emperor Sikandar Lodhi prayed to Lord Kabir, “This Shekhtaqi is not conceding, and he has such and such a demand today.” Venerable God Kabir said, “It is fine. Let him do whatever he wants to do. I also do not want to live anymore. I am fed up. Tell him to do whatever he wants to do.”
Shekhtaqi took Lord Kabir with him with his hands and feet tied up and got him thrown into a deep well. He had gathered thousands of people there. It was a very deep, dark well in which the water was dirty and little. He then filled it up with soil, thorny bushes, dung, bricks etc. to a hundred and fifty feet high. Then Shekhtaqi, after washing his hands and face, went to Sikandar Lodhi and said, “Emperor! I have finished your lion off. So much soil has been poured on him that now he cannot come out in any way.” Sikandar Lodhi asked, “Pir ji! Who are you talking about?” Shekhtaqi said, “About your Gurudev (spiritual teacher) Kabir. We have finished him off today.” Sikandar said, “Pir ji! Revered Lord Kabir is sitting inside the room. He has not gone anywhere.” Shekhtaqi went inside and saw that Revered Lord Kabir was sitting comfortably on a seat in the room inside. Shekhtaqi became even more jealous that this Kabir is not dying despite all efforts to kill him. What should be done now? Other wise people conceded; thousands of people took initiation and became disciples of Lord Kabir, but that wicked Shekhtaqi did not give in.
Shaahtaqi nahin lakhi, Niranjan chaal re | is parchey tae aage maangey javaal re ||
Shekhtaqi could not understand the glory of Bandi Chhor God Kabir. He should have apologised by falling at the feet of God and got his self-welfare done, but due to pride and ego, he became an enemy of the Lord. Shekhtaqi inflicted several other atrocities. Lord Kabir returned to Kashi.
After Lord Kabir returned to Kashi, Shekhtaqi thought, “This Kabir is not dying in any way.” He went to Lord Kabir's hut at night along with some goons to kill Lord Kabir. Lord Kabir was sleeping. Shekhtaqi said to the goons, “Cut him into pieces.” The goons severed Venerable Lord Kabir into pieces with a sword and left after considering him dead. When they came out of the hut, Lord Kabir got up and called from behind, “Pir ji! Go after drinking milk. You should not leave like this.” Shekhtaqi and his goons thought he was a ghost. They ran away from there. Those goons developed fever. The fever did not subside for several days. Lord Kabir went to them and cured them and said, “This Pir will get you killed; he is misleading you. Then they asked for forgiveness from Lord Kabir.